Seal



Patented Dec. 15,1953

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SEAL Hans F. Stoflfel, Scarsdale, N. Y.

Application April 12, 1949, Serial No. 87,038

Claims.

The invention relates to seals and more particularly to a tamperproof self-locking tag seal adapted to be fixed to a tie cord or other binding means, the seal being constructed to be closed manually without the use of special tools.

The main object of the invention is to provide a tamperproof self-locking seal having locking means bent into an interlocked position after the seal is closed.

Another object is to incorporate additional locking means adapted to cause a snapping action after the tamperproof locking means are interlocked so that the person applying the seal has the assurance that the seal is positively locked.

A further object is to weaken the seal in such a way that if an attempt is made to reopen the seal, part of it is torn and therefore becomes unfit for reuse.

The inventionalso aims at a simple construction of a seal of the above type that can be made economically and lends itself to mass production methods.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying drawing submitted for the purpose of illustration and not to define the scope of the invention, reference being had for that purpose to the subjoined claims. In the drawing, wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views:

Fig. l is a rear view of the open seal as manufactured;

Fig. 2, a section taken on line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3, a section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

.Fig. l, a rear view showing the tag in the closed position affixed to a cord;

Fig. 5, a section taken on line 55 of Fig. 4, and

Fig. 6, a section taken on line 66 of Fig. 4.

Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of elements illustrated in the accompanying drawing, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practised or carried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not limitation.

In the embodiment shown, the seal is stamped of a single piece of sheet metal and comprises two casing sections it and i I bent toward each other into opposed relation. the bending line being at l2, so that when the two sections are bent to- 2 gether into a closed position they form a boxlike structure to receive and inaccessibly enclose the end of a tie cord I3 or other binding element. Casing H) has its edges bent up to form side walls l4 and end walls I5, the latter being folded over inwardly parallel with the bottom wall of easing H! to serve as a locking plate [6 for which purpose it is provided with a slot I'I positioned to receive tongue l8 of easing section or flap whose lateral edges are also bent over to form side walls l9 fitting inside'walls l4 when the seal is closed. Tongue I8 is perpendicular to the bottom'wall of flap I, or on an arc struck from point I2 as viewed in Fig. 2 to pass through slot I? when flap H is swung about point [2 into a closed position. 'A shear cut or slot 20 in tongue I8 produces a catch 2|. The purpose and function of this catch is to prevent the retraction of tongue l8 afterit has entered slot ll, the curvature 22 of wall l5 serving to deflect the outer extremity of tongue l8 so that catch 2| is bent out of the plane of the tongue after it has passed through the slot. The bending takes place on line 23 which is at the weakest section of the tongue, but in addition, the tongue may also be weakened on line 23 by impression. Thus the outer portion of the tongue and catch 2 I, bordered by the outer edge, slot 20, and lines 23, are a rigid surface adapted to turn out of the plane of tongue l8 about an axis extending through lines 23. This surface may be further strengthened by a rib or other reinforcement. Curvature 22 and the tip of tongue l8 must be in the proper relation so that the outer portion of the tongue is deflected after catch 2| has passed through slot I'I. Thus deflection of catch 2| to lock tongue l8 in slot [1 is effected only by folding flap H against portion l0 a'short distance beyond the point where the tip of catch 2| passes slot IT. To assure the performance of this operation a snap 24 in the form of tooth means is provided at one side near the base of the tongue in a position where it catches in slot I! after the abutting edge of catch 2| has passed a short distance beyond slot I1. It will be observed by inspection of Fig. 3, that the toothed edge of snap 24 is farther away from the tip of the tongue than catch 2 I, and it extends farther to the left than slot I! so that in the closing operation to allow snap 24 to pass through the slot, flap II is sprung out of place laterally to spring back into position with a snapping sound after tooth or snap 24 has passed through the slot. Locking means are thus provided not only in the form of catch 2|, but also by snap or tooth 24. To

prevent tampering with the seal after it is attached, I provide weakened lines at 25 so that when opening is attempted with a sharp tool inserted between end portions 26 and plate 16 a tear is produced on line 25.

The article described may be used as a seal or as a tag, where the face of the casing I and the back of flap I l are suited to carry the desired indicia, preferably in printed form. To attach the manufactured article shown in Figs. 1 and 2 to a cord or other binding element I3, the latter is inserted between the open jaws of the seal to a place near or adjacent and parallel with fold I 2, whereby the end or ends of the cords preferably extend a short distance outside of the seal. Then the two sections l0 and H are bent upon each other so that the cord becomes pinched between l0 and H as shown in Fig. 5. During this closing operation tongue l8 enters slot l1 whereby the tip of the tongue is deflected on cam surface 22 as soon as catch H has passed through the slot, the deflection occurring about lines 23 whereby the tip of catch 2| moves out of the plane of the tongue as shown in Fig. 6, to prevent subsequent retraction through slot 11. After the end of the short movement necessary to deflect the tip of tongue l8 tooth 24 snaps into a locking position as it passes past slot ll so that the seal is now securely locked.

It is apparent that the novel seal may secure various types of binding elements such as cords, ribbons, or stranded wire, and any such element may be tied in a knot, and the knot encased within the casing or box formed by the seal.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. A seal construction comprising two casing sections having a fold line about which they may be bent toward each other in opposed relation for closing said seal, whereby an element to be sealed may be received between said sections, one of said sections having an end wall disposed opposite the fold line and extending inwardly in the direction toward said fold line to thereby form a plate approximately parallel with and spaced from the face of said one sec. tion, said plate being provided with a slot, the other section having a tongue opposite said fold line extending in a direction to cooperate with the wall defining said slot and to enter said slot when said two sections are folded together, a catch on said tongue adapted to be bent out of the plane of said tongue, the face of said one section being provided with a curved portion arranged to engage the tip of said tongue whereby said catch is bentout of the plane of said tongue after it has passed through said slot in closed position of said seal, said catch and said tip of said tongue remaining permanently in one plane in said closed position of said seal, and tooth means projecting laterally from said tongue and forming snap means in cooperation with the adjacent end of said slot, said tooth means extending laterally beyond said adjacent end of said slot and being passable therethrough only by a temporary distortion of said two sections with respect to each other, whereby, upon folding of said two sections together, an audible snapping sound is emitted.

2. The construction as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tooth means is arranged to pass through said slot only after said catch is projected through the latter.

3. The construction as claimed in claim 2, including longitudinal weakened lines in said other section near the base of said tongue to render the seal unfit for re-use after tampering.

4. The combination, in a seal having two sections foldable upon each other into a locking position, of a tongue provided with a catch forming part on one of said sections, with a snap tooth positioned laterally and remote from said catch on said tongue, the other section being provided with a slot for receiving said catch and said snap tooth successively, said snap tooth being located on said tongue so as to project laterally beyond one end wall defining said slot for engaging behind said end wall, whereby during movement of said sections in said locking position said sections are temporarily laterally distorted with re spect to each other and cause an audible snapping sound after said catch has passed said slot and is locked therein and upon subsequent passage of said snap tooth through said slot.

5. The combination according to claim 4, wherein said one section is provided with aligned weakened lines extending from said catch crosswise to said tongue to form a bending line for said catch and further provided with a weakened line extending angularly to said aligned weakened lines and positioned adjacent said snap tooth to prevent tampering and to render the seal unfit for reuse after tampering.

HANS F. STOF'FEL.

References Cited in the die of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,932,101 Dietze Oct. 4, 1933 2,084,668 Brooks June 22, 1937 2,311,152 Canter Feb. 16, 1943 2,465,349 Brooks Mar. 29, .1949 

